In Table Europe, Policy Fellows Thu Nguyen and Nils Redeker discuss the close ties between the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the European Semester as well as the implications of these ties on the influence of the Commission.
In this op-ed, Thu Nguyen and Nils Redeker argue that the link between the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and European Semester represents a "silent revolution" in EU economic policy and that this "revolution will change economic policy in the EU forever." It is therefore crucial that both instruments are adjusted to ensure long-term success. First, "the Commission should scale back its recommendations during the regular semester" to ensure that the RRF takes the spotlight. Second, existing imbalances within the Semester should be adjusted. Third, "national reform and investment plans will need to be adjusted over time" to ensure that the Semester remains an effective tool for coordination.
Read the full article (in German) here.